Narrative:

After takeoff from bwi and shortly after being handed off from bwi departure to washington center we were climbing to an assigned altitude of 13000'. The aircraft was on automatic flight control. I was the 'flying pilot' and my first officer was the 'non flying pilot.' center gave us a heading of 230 degree. Because there was considerable background noise (from center) I asked my first officer if center had said 'two three O'. My first officer who apparently did not hear any of the transmission reacted by setting 23000 in the altitude select window of the mode control panel. This caused the aircraft to continue climb to about 13400' before I could disconnect the autoplt and return to 13000'.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOT ON CLIMB.

Narrative: AFTER TKOF FROM BWI AND SHORTLY AFTER BEING HANDED OFF FROM BWI DEP TO WASHINGTON CENTER WE WERE CLIMBING TO AN ASSIGNED ALT OF 13000'. THE ACFT WAS ON AUTO FLT CTL. I WAS THE 'FLYING PLT' AND MY F/O WAS THE 'NON FLYING PLT.' CENTER GAVE US A HEADING OF 230 DEG. BECAUSE THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE BACKGROUND NOISE (FROM CENTER) I ASKED MY F/O IF CENTER HAD SAID 'TWO THREE O'. MY F/O WHO APPARENTLY DID NOT HEAR ANY OF THE XMISSION REACTED BY SETTING 23000 IN THE ALT SELECT WINDOW OF THE MODE CTL PANEL. THIS CAUSED THE ACFT TO CONTINUE CLIMB TO ABOUT 13400' BEFORE I COULD DISCONNECT THE AUTOPLT AND RETURN TO 13000'.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.